WWE Hall Of Fame: Where Nostalgia Reigns Supreme

The WWE Hall of Fame. It’s one of the most scrutinized entities within the world of professional wrestling. Funny, because I’ve never heard of anyone that’s ever visited it, but everyone loves the nostalgia it creates.

When someone hears the term “Hall Of Fame” one tends to think of a place that enshrines only the best or most notable people within a genre or sport. Unless you live under a rock, that isn’t the way WWE’s Hall of Fame is run. While the best guys get enshrined, WWE has many more contributors than most people realize. The HOF is home everyone from Andre The Giant to Donald Trump to Drew Carey. Every year a new class is unveiled, and wrestling fans every year groan over the fact Macho Man Randy Savage, or Owen Hart hasn’t been inducted yet. However as each year passes, it’s difficult to remember who went in just 2-3 years ago.

Randy Savage

“You Can’t Have A WWE Hall Of Fame Without The Macho Man!”

While true in theory, I often retort, “What Hall Of Fame? Where is it?” Wouldn’t fans like to be able to visit a Macho Man section of the building? How can one be so angry over a hall of fame that doesn’t actually exist? Let me know below.

Why this could matter so much to wrestling fans is simple, fans might want the same criteria and execution for wrestling to like every other Hall Of Fame has. Why would fans want to be like the other sports? Looking at other Hall Of Fame’s (baseball, basketball, football) they ALL have questionable inner workings on who gets in, who doesn’t, when and why. Baseball for example is excommunicating EVERYONE from the steroid era, and Pete Rose for betting on baseball. A few of the notables that won’t get in, Barry Bonds, Pete Rose, Roger Clemens, Mark McGuire, Sammy Sosa, and Alex Rodriguez.

In basketball, Dennis Rodman (if he was your best player you may have won 30 games), was elected as a first ballot Hall of Famer, while Reggie Miller had to wait another year to go in. There is also the random 1960′s player not anyone in this generation would recognize.

The baseball writers of america often come to the conclusion that NO ONE is good enough to be inducted in certain years. That’s right, NO ONE. Could you imagine if HHH said, “There will be no inductions this year due to no one recieving 75 percent of the vote, and that is Best for Business.” Anarchy would ensue.

The best thing WWE does with its Hall of Fame, is not having any rules. There is nothing that stops someone from getting in after a certain period of time, or who is eligible in the first place. Remember it’s entertainment. Many of these ceremonies are booked just like a wrestling card. There will be a strong opener, a few midcarders, a celebrity (don’t ignore the importance of celebrities in wrestling) and a few main event stars that will bring the show home. They can’t put everyone in every year or the event will lose it’s luster. It it refreshing to see someone like KoKo Beware come get his just due, as KoKo worked hard in the business for many years. Wrestlemania weekend would feel incomplete without the return of the names of yesteryear.

The smarter wrestling fans tend to have long memories. Everyone else has YouTube, or will soon have the WWE Network. In theory, Macho Man, Owen Hart, and countless others that have been left out over the years, will live on longer here than anywhere else.

This year The Ultimate Warrior, Jake The Snake Roberts & Lita have all been confirmed to go in. Each of them appeal to a separate group of fans, and should each have GREAT speeches. The speeches are the 5 star matches of these events. Theoretically, it should be the greatest promo a wrestler ever cuts. So while the actual Hall Of Fame hasn’t been built yet, the Hall Of Fame of our nostalgic minds and hearts will be prevalent as ever.

What do you think? Comment below with your thoughts, opinions, feedback and anything else that was raised.

About Richard Latta:Rich is a lifelong wrestling fan. He thinks of wrestling as the 3rd Major Sport, Follow him on twitter @dangerrich32. He is apart of a podcast called @OneNationRadio (onenationradio.podomatic.com)

“Theoretically, it should be the greatest promo a wrestler ever cuts.” HOF acceptance speech is NOT a wrestling promo. Referring to it as such is a disservice to the ceremony.

Richard Latta II

The ceremony is a show. To honor the men and to also entertain long time fans…Rey mysterio shows up in his mask…of course they are in character partly.

P.

I have to disagree. The mentality of the HOF being in any way “a show to entertain the fans” was what led to the disgraceful booing at last year’s ceremony. This is not for you, or me, or any fan in attendance, and it is not in character (Mysterio’s personal philosophy as a luchador is exceptional.)